I should've scheduled this issue for Festivus; get those grievances out.

I had to look up the issue where the Titans previously beat today's foe, and wasn't expecting such a good cover for a villain like this. From 2000, the Titans #16, "Survival, 2 of 2: Limbo" Written by Devin Grayson, pencils by Mark Buckingham, inks by Marlo Alquiza and Richard Bonk.

In a rematch with the demonic Gargoyle, the Titans are trapped in idyllized verisons of their childhoods. Or somewhat idyllized: it's interesting to see Dick Grayson's circus life may not have been as perfect as it seemed, and that he may have been becoming restless with it. Wally's visits with Aunt Iris and Uncle Barry were pretty good, but he catches a punch from his dad immediately afterwards for "dreaming." And Roy has started to poke holes in his fantasy: while he knew his father had died in a forest fire, he really didn't have enough recollections to be stuck in, since he didn't remember a mom at all. He's the first Titan to arrive at the center, Haley's Circus, and Dick; with the others soon following suit. Donna arrives last, but because she had wanted to catch a glimpse of Dick's real dad--"so much more like you than Bru--"

After a scuffle with Gargoyle, Dick is able to knock him out with a Batarang, which is of course a trick: Dick realized he was making the team's rifts stronger, to feed on the negativity. (You know, I've never liked that kind of trope: if the thing eats the negativity, what would be left? If it can live on your pain and not hurt you otherwise, why not let it?) The Titans are forced to own up to each other about their respective gripes, like Dick being uncomfortable with an "other" Flash...off the top of my head, I'm not sure what that refers to; I'm guessing the Flash from hereabouts. Roy and Garth bury the hatchet, not really mad at each other; while Donna's situation is more complicated: she had been brought back to life (or continuity...) via Wally's memories, so she wondered if she was "real," or just an idealized version of Donna Troy. She had been trying to prove there was a side to her they didn't know; Wally says she doesn't have to, they accept that.

But Roy is the one to complete the puzzle, figuring that Gargoyle's Limbo was about stagnation, always doing the same things: Roy had needed his friends not to just love him unconditionally, but to give him a much-needed kick in the ass and be a better person. The Titans are freed, but may call the weekend early and go home.